KCFD rescues 18 people from stuck elevator at rock climbing gym

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Emergency crews rescued 18 people from an elevator on Monday afternoon, the Kansas City Fire Department says that they were all believed to be between 10 and 17 years old. The rescue happened at The Cave Bouldering Gym, which is at 3150 Mercier Street.

FOX 4's Megan Dillard talked to some who were rescued, and they described what it was like being trapped.

"We went to climb today and we took the elevator. We were like 11 people," Manuela Salazar said.

Witnesses said the elevator that travels between two floors suddenly became stuck.

"We just started to cry, everybody was sweating a lot," Salazar said, adding that it quickly became difficult to breathe.

The 19-year-old said her friends used three cell phones to call 911.

Kansas City firefighters said they were told that three people were unconscious, but when crews arrived, they rescued 18 people, who were brought one at a time up a ladder, and given cold water and oxygen.

"The heat can take over pretty quick and you may have some heat cramps, heat strokes, things like that, and that`s what we start getting in dangers of," KCFD Battalion Chief James Garrett said.

Though there were four ambulances on scene, FOX 4 was told no one was taken to a hospital. In fact, a FOX 4 crew saw most of the teens get in their car after getting checked out by medical personnel.